As I write this column, we are still learning about the Illinois Senate’s so-called “Grand Bargain.” In next week’s column we will explore the Grand Bargain, but this week I’d like to focus on what happened in the House.

In the past two months, the General Assembly has voted to spend nearly two billion dollars. And no, these are not appropriations that go to pay down the deficit. These aren’t even funds that take the place of the budget. This is money that will be added to our already $5 billion spending gap.

Are you ready for some positive news? The American economy is surging forward thanks to recent economic growth. In fact, the jobless rate is the lowest it has been since 2007. The national unemployment rate is currently 4.4% - which is even better than the 4.6% number that economists had predicted.